Talking Dish

Crab legs, stuffed mushrooms, chicken marsala and more round out one of the best salad bars in the valley, and that is just the beginning. Like a meat lovers hallucination, smiling waiters roam the floor of this Brazilian steakhouse, each carrying an enormous cut of meat on a skewer. Simply turn your block of wood green side up, and the meat begins to arrive. Beef filet, sausage, lamb and pork wielding waiters and waitresses continue to fill your plate until you flip your block to red. I’m not kidding, you flip a piece of wood to green side up and meat is delivered. The dinner price is all inclusive, making sampling everything a lot of fun. The constant action of the bustling waiters with their rotation of meats is entertaining, and Fogo e Brasa would make for an excellent first date restaurant. A knowledgeable sommelier is on call for advice on wine selection, and a large dessert cart rounds out the menu.

Overall Pricing:

• $31 for dinner, all you can eat
• $5-6 for alcohol drinks

Overall Rating & Recommendation:

• Go with a big appetite and feast to your hearts content

View Larger Map

Appearances aren’t everything! Classic Italian Pizza is tucked away in a not-so-appealing strip mall located on Basline and Rural roads in Tempe.  While the outside may make you want to turn and run, the inside will blow you away.

Inside it is warm and quaint with a small bar and a brick oven for cooking pizzas.  There is a small secluded patio out back which is awesome, weather permitting.  The menu is small, just pizza, some basic salads and calzones.  But the food is wonderful!

I prefer it to over-hyped Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.  No need to wait three hours when you can walk right in and be seated at Classic Italian.  This is a perfect spot for a first date.  Make sure to call ahead as if I remember correctly, they’re closed on Mondays. Also be aware that they close for a few weeks in July or August each year to make a trip to Europe.  Overall, a really cool Tempe hole-in-the-wall with great food and atmosphere.

Overall Pricing:

• Entrees:  $8-12
• Beer: $4 – $5
• Wine: $5-9

Overall Rating & Recommendations:

• Best pizza in town
• One of a kind place that will surely impress
• Great staff
• 8.5 for pizza quality and atmosphere

View Larger Map

Stax burger bistro is an awesome little place. It used to be Ibiza cafe back in the day, and is located on Scottsdale road in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. This place is pretty chic and has a cool environment, but isn’t stuffy. The service was ok, nothing stellar, but they might have been understaffed because they are new. The menu consists of gourmet burgers of all kinds, including beef, kobe beef and others like buffalo. They have some custom recommended burgers, or you can order ala carte and design your own burger. If you order ala carte, which I did, they have a ton of options for toppings to put on the burgers. Each burger is about 1/3 the size of a regular burger that you’d order at a restaurant, but you will probably only need 2, unless you are really hungry. Each burger ranges in price from $4 to $6. There is a full selection of wines, beers and regular hard liquor drinks.

I liked the atmosphere because it was half indoor half outdoor and was pretty chill especially for a Scottsdale Restaurant on Scottsdale road, which are often a bit stuffy. If you are looking for a first date spot this could be good, or just a good “let’s catch up” kind of restaurant to meet friends at. It could be a bit tough for a large group, and definitey not for a work function.

Overall Cost Estimate:

• Appetizer’s: $4-$7
• Entre’s: $4-6 per burger, you’ll need at least 2
• Beer: $4 – $5
• Wine: $7-12
• Cocktails: $6 – $10

Overall Rating & Recommendation:

• Great for a bite with a friend
• Good for a casual/different first date
• Good for a quick dinner before a night out in old town Scottsdale

View Map